Learning Classical Chinese III - 蒙學漢文初階

Lesson 101

未幾又見一羊 not_yet how_much/almost again see one goat

弟曰                   younger brother said

此牛甚小          this ox very small

兄笑曰              older brother laughed said

非牛也羊也     not ox [ep] goat [ep]

Not long [afterwards] a goat was seen.  The younger brother said,

"This ox is very small."

The older brother laughed and said,

"[It's] not an ox but a goat!"

Lesson 102

日午兒至園中散步時   day hour_of_wu child approach garden inside scatter walk time

黑雲濃密                         black clouds thick dense

天色若暮                         sky color like dusk/night

雷聲電光                         thunder sound lightning light

一時交作                         one time come_together/intersect to_make

懼而逃歸                         fear and escape return

方入門                             just enter door

大雨至矣                        big rain came [final particle]

At noon, when a child went for a stroll in the garden, clouds became black, heavy and dense.  The sky was like the night.  Suddenly the thunder came clashing with lightning.  [He grew in] fear and hurried return home.  Just as he entered through the door, the big rains came.

Notes:

1.  A Chinese day is divided into twelve hours.  Each hour is approximately equivalent to two of the modern hour.  The hour of Wu is at noon.   An astrological animal and direction are associated with them.  刻 is usually translated as "quarter of the hour".  This is because of a time system known as百刻 where the day is divided into 100 parts and that it corresponds to 14.4 minutes.  The term is derived on the carved mark on the water clock.

子  11pm -  1am rat           N

丑    1 - 3               ox            NNE

寅    3 -  5              tiger        ENE

卯    5 - 7               rabbit     E

辰    7  - 9              dragon   ESE

巳    9 - 11            snake      SSE

午  11am - 1pm  horse      S

未     1 - 3              sheep     SSW

申     3 - 5              monkey WSW

酉     5 - 7             chicken   W

戌     7 - 9              dog          WNW

亥     9 - 11            pig           NNW

2.  There are many meanings of矣.  Depending on context, it can mean "alas", "ah" or here the modern equivalent is了 a past indicator.  See Lessons #20, #65 and #78

Lesson 103

周武王姬發            Chou martial king Chi Fa

代殷有天下            substitute Yin have heaven under

啓宗室箕子            start ancestor room winnowing_basket viscount

子胥餘罔為臣僕    viscount all/assist/store not become subject servant

東來朝鮮                 east come  morning freshness

國人推戴為君        country man push respect become ruler

箕子教禮義            winnowing_basket master teach ritual righteousness

設八條之教         established eight [classifier] of teachings

是為箕子朝鮮    have become winnow_basket master morning freshness.

When King Wu of Chou replaced the Yin Dynasty, the main branch of the [defeated] family, the Viscount of Ji,  Xuyu did not wish to become the subject and servant [to the new regime] that he went to Chosun. The people there endorsed him to become their ruler.  He taught rituals and righteousness [to the people] and established the Eight Promulgations and he is known as the Viscount Ji of Chosun.

Notes:

Unless you know some of the history, many will be puzzled because the words make no sense as they are names of places and people.

 1.  King Wu defeated the tyrant of the Shang/Yin Dynasty and established the Chou Dynasty.  Wu is the title.  His clan name is 姬 and his name is 發.

2. 箕子 is a title.  Some say 箕 is the name of the place and 子 is taken to mean viscount.  However, modern research state that this is not correct.  It is just a Shang tradition to combine it with the name of the place they ruled. 胥餘 is the name.  Historically, he was one of the three righteous ministers of the Shang Dynasty and uncle of the last tyrant.  He was imprisoned by his nephew for his remonstrations  and set free by the new regime and was given lands to what is now known as Korea.  In Korean, 箕子 is Gija and胥餘 is Seoyeo.

3.  These were

      a.   capital punishment for killing (相殺，償殺)

      b.  grain compensation for injury (相傷, 償穀)

      c.  Those colluded in robbery, the men will turned into slaves and the women into maids. 

           To redeem oneself, one has to pay 50,000  pieces of copper. “相盜者，男沒入爲其家奴， 

         女子爲婢，欲自贖者，人五十萬”。

       d.   The way of women being chaste and dependable. “婦人貞信”。

       e.   Being respectful of the domains of others.  “重山川，山川各有部界，不得妄相幹

           涉”。Literally, "Be respectful of the mountains and rivers.  Each mountain and river has   

             its boundaries, do not be presumptuous and interfere"

        f.   Those violate and encroach the sovereignty of villages shall be at once punished and 

              censured.  Their livestock, cows, horses will be forfeited as compensation. “邑落有相侵

           犯者，輒相罰，責生口、牛、馬，名之爲‘責禍’”。

         g.   Intermarriage between those of the same last names is forbidden. “同姓不婚”。

         h.   Those died from infectious sickness, their homes be abandoned at once and new ones 

                be constructed.   “多所忌諱，疾病死亡，輒捐棄舊宅，更造新居”。

Lesson 104

花園有假山其險    flower garden has fake mountain its danger

張氏兒謂眾曰        Chang clan child told crowd said

孰登之我酬以錢    who surmount it I reward with money

眾兒爭先                  crowd children fight first

一兒曰                       one child said

吾非售技者               I not seller skills the_one_who

豈可重財而輕命耶 how can heavy riches and light life [ep]

In the garden, there is a miniature mountain.  A child from the Chang clan said to a group of children,

"Who so ever would climb it, I will reward him with money."

All the kids fought to be the first.  However, one declared,

"I am no vendor of abilities.  How can I place emphasis on riches and not on my life!"

Notes:

1.  假山 literally means fake hill/mountain.  Many dictionaries choose to translate it as "rockery" or rock garden which is totally wrong.  Rockery is an area where rocks or stones are placed to so that plants can grow among them.  A Chinese fake hill is some stone structure to resemble a miniature hill or mountain for viewing pleasure.  It is a garden element in Chinese landscape architecture to miniaturize nature, just like bonsai.

2.  Here 重 and 輕 means to take or view things with heaviness or lightness.

3.  豈 unlike何 is an emphatic questioning.

4.  耶 is a final particle denoting great emphasis for the preceding action.  Usually this can be replaced by an interjection mark.

Lesson 105

某生堆雪為人 some person pile snow become man

五官四肢具備 five organ four limb all equip

語不應使          words not ought to_use

行不動              walk not move

生笑曰               person laugh said

百不如人           hundred not like man

何能立於世界  how able stand in world boundary

舉足蹴之崩       life leg kick it collapse

Someone made a snowman, complete with the Five Organs and four limbs.  [It] could not talk, not able to move.  Laughingly he remarked,

"In a many ways, you are not a man, how can you stand in this world?"

Lifting his leg, he kicked it down.

Notes:

1.  The first sentence translated literally is "Someone piled the snow to make a man"

2.  The Five Organs: Eyes, nose, ears, mouth and tongue.

Lesson 106

堤川郡         dike/dam river canton/county/region

有義林湖     have righteous forest lake

湖中之地     lake middle of land

即忠清北道 that_is loyalty pure north province

而忠清南道在湖西 and loyalty pure south at lake west

全羅道在湖南          complete collecting at lake south

In the region of Jecheon, there is the Lake of Uirim.  The central area is the northern Chungcheong province. Southern Chungeong Province is to the west of the lake and at the south is the province of Jeolla.

Notes:

1.  See Lesson 99 for道

2.  Uirim (義林) = Forest of Righteousness.  Quite unlike Sherwood forest where "heroes" would gather like Robin Hood and his merry men.  義林湖(Uirimho, thanks to Kuiwon for this pronunciation) can be also be translated as a place name for "Lake of Righteous Forest".  I could not find anything on the net on this.  However, there is Uirimji (義林池) where it is a historic place and a popular tourist destination.  池 can be translated as a "large pond" or "reservoir".

Lesson 107

某童入隣家      some child enter neighbour family

見院中黃菊      saw courtyard inside yellow chrysanthemum

採其一               pluck of one

廊間有鸚鵡      corridor space has parrot parrot

忽大呼曰          suddenly great cry said

賊來賊來          thief come thief come

某童自此          some child from now

不敢妄取人物 not dare rash take man thing

Some child entered a neighbour's house.  He saw in the courtyard some chrysanthemums and plucked one.  In the corridor was a parrot which suddenly cried out,

"A thief! A thief!"

This child from then onwards dared not take things from others rashly.

Note:  The exact translation of the utterance, "賊來賊來", "A thief comes! A thief comes!".  However, this is not how English is expressed.  This is cultural preference.

Lesson 108

漢高祖劉邦時        Han_Dynasty high ancestor Liu Pang time

燕人衛滿                 State_of_Yan person guard full

因其主盧綰亂亡命 because his master Lu(last name) bind (name) chaos death life

來誘遂                       come seduce/entice to_succeed/to_proceed

箕子之後孫箕準     winnow viscount of after grandson winnow permit

據王儉城                  seize Wang (last name) frugal (name) city

自立為君                  self proclaim as king

是為衛滿朝鮮         is become guard full morning freshness

During the time of Han Dynasty founder Liu Pang, Wei Man from the State of Yan, because of the death of his master in the rebellion, Lu Wan came under Viscount Chun, the descendant of Viscount Ki and misled him.  He succeeded in seizing the city of Wang Jiang and established himself as the ruler.  This became the Wei Man Chosun.

Notes:

1.  Liu Pang is the founder of the Han Dynasty.  His temple name is Kao Chu or the High (Grand) Ancestor.

2.  Wiman is the Korean pronunciation.  He was under the command of the Korean king when he fled from the Han Dynasty.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiman_of_Gojoseon

3. Lu Wan was a childhood friend of the Han Founder.  He was enthroned as the Prince of Yan.  Later, he was implicated in a rebellion against his friend.  He fled to the Hsiang Nu, the barbarians of the north where he died peacefully in exile.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lu_Wan

4.  Gijun was the king/viscount of Korea whom Wiman had betrayed.  See Lesson 103 on his ancestor, Gija

5.  Wanggeom-seong, the city of Wangeom is the capital of the first ancient Korean kingdom.  See Lesson 94.

6.  Ancient Chosun is used to differentiate this newly established kingdom from the later one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiman_of_Gojoseon

Lesson 109

聞慶郡有鳥嶺  hear celebration county have bird range

嶺南卽慶尚道      range south that_is celebration esteem province

大關嶺在江原道  great fortress range at river source province

嶺東有九邑           range east have nine cities/village

In the county of Mungyeong is the Joryeong Range.  South of the range is the province of Gyeongsang.  The Daewallyeong Range is at the province of Gangwon. There are nine cities in the eastern side of the range.

Note:

This is another lesson in Korean geography.  All Chinese names have meanings, quite unlike Western languages which the sound has more importance over meanings.  Therefore, one has to know the context well in order to translate.  For example, 嶺南, Lingnan is also a place in China meaning "south of the range".  The sentence, 嶺南卽慶尚道can also be translated as "Yeungnam is also known as the province of Gyeongsang".  So context plays a very important role.  Since I don't know anything about Korean geography, my guesses and interpretation may be wrong.

Lesson 110

一鼠食箱中米    one rat eat box inside uncooked_rice

聞人至                 hear man approach

慴伏不稍動         fear crouch not bit move

人意其遁去也     man think it flee/evade/escape go [ep]

及人去食如故     then_when man go eat if former

人疾其詐              man sickness its deceit

養貓以殺之       rear cat to kill it

A rat was eating the uncooked rice in the bin.  Heard man approached and in fear did not make any movement.  Man thought it had escaped and when the man left, it continued as usual.  Man's sickness [is caused by] its deceit. [Thus] cats are raised to kill it.

Notes:

1.  Since rice is such an important crop for the Chinese, there are many words associated with it.  The uncooked form is 米 and the cooked form is 飯.

2. 慴 is a variant form of懾.

Lesson 111

路遠則人不能至       road far then man not able approach

故有車馬焉                because have carriage horse that's_it

旣有車馬便矣速矣  since have carriage horse convenience ah fast ah

然千里之地                it_is_so/correct thousand mile [pp] land 

非能旣至也                not able since approach [ep]

故又有鐵路                because also have iron road

以行火車焉                with move fire carriage that's_it

When the roads are long and far, man cannot travel.  Hence there are horses and carriages [for travel]. Since having these, how convenient it is!  How fast it is! Now that there are lands a thousand miles away, it is also not approachable.  Hence there are railroads so that trains can travel on them!

Notes:

1.  Translating more literally the original nuance would be lost in English.

2.  Chinese is flexible enough to reuse terms for modern inventions.  Here the examples being railroads (iron roads), trains (fire carriages).  Other examples of electric nature are prefixed by the character for lightning which is now being changed into this new meaning.  To really mean "lightning" we prefix or suffix it with the character for thunder ie 電雷 or 雷電. Hence electric talk means telephone (電話), "electric pond"  is battery, etc.  When this is not possible, such as names of elements they did not know or newly discovered ones, the Chinese language uses the properties of these elements to create them.  For metallic ones, 金 is used, for non-metallic, 石, for gaseous forms, 气 and for liquids, シ. These radicals are then combined with a phonetic component to approximate the sound of the international standard.

Lesson 112

八口之家      eight mouth [pp] family

一人耕之      one man plow it

七人食之      seven man eat it

則家必貧矣  then family must poor alas

七人耕之      seven man plow it

一人食之      one man eat it

則家必富矣  then family must rich alas.

於國亦然       from country also in_this_state

分利者多       split/share profit/advantage those_who many

其國貧           their country poor

分利者少      split/share profit/advantage  those_who less

其國富          their country rich.

In a family of eight, one ploughs and seven eat.  Then family will be poor. If seven plough and eat like one person, the family will be rich.  The country is the same, with many taking away the riches, then their country is poor.  With less takers, the country is rich.

Note:

This is an example when a literal translation would not work.  At the first glance, "seven plough and one eats" sound very unfair. Even with the above translation following closely to the original text is still very awkward.  A better translation would be if the original text is not closely followed but still maintaining the nuance,

In a family when one produces, seven consumes, then it will be alas, a poor one indeed.  When seven produce and consumption like of one, then a prosperous family will be. So does a country, it will be poor when there are more consumers than producers.

Lesson 113

金母以橘二枚授二子 gold mother with mandarin_orange two [classifier] award/to_give two sons

幼子置不食                   younger son put/place not eat

母問何故                        mother ask what why

曰頃者                             said awhile [see comment]

兒有過                             son has mistake/wrong

父親禁勿食也               father dear forbid not eat [ep]

父適入聞之喜曰           father just_now enter heard him happy said

兒能不敢欺母               son able not dare deceive mother

可食橘矣                        can eat mandarin_orange ah

Mother Kim gave two mandarin oranges to her two sons.  The younger put it away and did not eat.  The mother asked why. After a bit of hesitation [he] said, 

"Your son misbehaved, father had forbidden me to eat."

Just then the father entered and heard [the conversation].  Happily he said,

"My son dare not deceive his mother.  So [you] can eat the mandarin orange!"

Notes:

1.  Since this is a Korean text book, I believe Korean pronunciation should be used.

2. 者 has three meanings in classical Chinese.  The most common one is "the one/thing who/which".   The other meaning is "this" or "that".  In this context, the third meaning applies.  It is used as a pause for dramatic effect, not unlike the semicolon in English.

Lesson 114

雀在田中覔食               bird at padi_field middle seek food

網獲其一                        net capture/obtain of one

置於籠中                        place into cage inside

不食而死                        not eat and die

夫雀飛天空                   [see comment] bird fly sky space

上下可以自由               up down can because [see comment][see comment]

為人所獲不自由           because man which obtain not [see comment] [see comment]

毋寧死矣                        none/no rather die ah

Birds were seeking food in the padi fields.  One was netted and place inside a cage.  It refused food and died. Alas, birds flying in the sky, everywhere they can be free.  Alas, because of man had captured it and lost its freedom, it would rather die [than to eat].

Notes:

1. The original character used in the book was , 

a variant or how it is used in Chinese calligraphy.

2.  夫 = husband is the most common meaning.  The other is an noble title use for its profession, for example, 樵夫 one who cuts wood i.e. woodcutter, one of the Four Noble Professions (漁樵耕讀) in ancient China.  大夫 a great man i.e. an older term for a ministerial position or a doctor.  Nowadays mainly used for those trained in Chinese medicine.  Even so, it is rare we would say中醫.  Another meaning is "this", "that", "he", "she", "they".  As a final particle, it is equivalent to the English use of the interjection mark.  In this case, as an initial particle, it introduces an opinion.

3.  This is another example of compound words that cannot be split up as its literal meaning is not evident.  自由 "Self cause"/"from oneself" aka "freedom".

Lesson 115

以手相摩覺熱         with hand mutual rub feel hot

冶匠擊砧                   cast smith strike anvil

其砧亦熱                   its anvil also hot

鑽木取火                   drill wood get fire

擊石取火                   strike stone get fire

皆摩生熱之驗也      all rub born heat [pp] result [ep]

With two hands rubbing together, heat is felt. The blacksmith strikes the anvil and it also becomes hot. Drill wood for fire, strike stone for fire.  This is the result of things being rubbed together.

Notes:

1.   砧 usually mean a chopping board or a hammering block.  In the context, because of the blacksmith, this hammering block is thus an anvil.

2.   Note 冶 has two dots and not three!  治 means to govern or to control.

Lesson 116

衛滿之孫右渠  Wiman [pp] grandson right canal

殺漢使者           kill Han emissary person

漢武帝劉徹       Han martial emperor battleaxe thorough/penetrating

怒之分其地       angry him parted his land

置                        place

樂浪                   joy/music wave

臨屯                   approach station_soldiers/village/store_up

玄菟                   dark/mysterious dodder

真蕃                   real luxuriant

四郡                    four administrative_areas

四部                    four areas

南境                   south border

惟三韓為獨立地方 only three koreas become alone standing ground place

Wiman's grandson, Uego killed the Han Dynasty emissary.  Emperor Han Wu Ti, Liu Che was angered and divided his kingdom into the four commanderies of Lelang, Lintun, Hsuantu and Chengfan areas.  In the south, only the three Koreas were independent.

Notes:

1.  See Lesson Lesson 108 for Wiman

2.   Name of the last king of old Korea Ugeo.  See the following links.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugeo

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gojoseon%E2%80%93Han_War

3.  Han Wu Ti or the Martial Emperor.  His personal name was originally彘 (pig) because his mother dreamt of a pig when giving birth, an auspicious sign.  Upon ascending to the throne, he had it changed to徹.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Wu_of_Han

4.  郡 here is translated as commandery, land that is controlled directly by the imperial government during the Han Dynasty.  Notice the character is combined with the "lord" character and the land radical.  The Korean equivalents are Rangnang, Imdun, Hyondo and Jinbeon.

5.  Samhan or the "three Koreas", see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samhan

Lesson 117

揮扇何以有風                 to_wave fan how for have wind?     

因空氣為扇所移動也    because space air for fan that/which shift move [ep]

故風者即氣之移動         hence wind the_one_that_cause so air [pp] shift move

大動則為大風                  big move then become big wind

小動則為小風                  small move then become small wind.

Why does waving the fan cause wind? This is because of the movement of the fan.  Hence the purveyor of the wind is the movement [of the fan].  Waving big causes the wind to be bigger, a smaller wave, thus a smaller one.

Note:

大 here can also be translated as "furiously" in this context without loss of meaning or nunance in the text.

Lesson 118

衣服過窄           clothes garment too narrow

則肢體不適         then limb torso not comfortable

屈伸不靈             bend extend not agile/nubile

盖衣與皮膚為鄰 cover clothing and skin skin as neighbours

其間宜稍有空隙 their space suitable somewhat have air crack/fissure

留熱氣流行之路 retain heat air flow move [pp] path

若緊縛肢體          if tight bind limb torso

両相密切              two mutual tight close_to

氣不通暢              air not through free/unimpeded/smooth/at_ease

易生疾病              easy born sickness illness

When clothing is too tight, then the limbs and the torso are not comfortable and their movements not easy.  The space between the coverings and the skin are somewhat close enough to retain the easy flow of [body] heat. If too tight, then the air is not easy flowing and [one] easily get sick.

Notes:

1. 盖 is a variant of 蓋 which is now used as the simplified version.

2.  A literal translation would sound strange in English,

"Clothing too tight, then the limbs and torso will be in discomfort.  Bending and stretching will not be effective. The coverings and skin are neighbourly close enough to have space to have a heat moving passage.  If tight and binds to the limbs and body, too mutually close, air will not pass easily.  Illness and sickness are easily born."

Lesson 119

人始生時        man start born time

飢不能自食    starvation not able self eat

寒不能自衣    cold not able self clothe

有語不能言     have words not able speak

欲出不能行     want out not able walk

此時若無父母   this time if no father mother

將如之何            future if [pp] how

When man is first born, in hunger he unable to feed for himself.  In cold unable to clothe himself.  With thoughts, unable to express himself.  If wanted to go somewhere, he cannot walk.  At this moment, if he has no parents, then what of his future?

Note:

The more direct translation of the line should be, "With words, he cannot speak".  However, this makes no sense.  A baby does not know any word!  He may have only the thoughts of basic desires in hunger and shitting.

Lesson 120

洌水以南一大地  pure/to_cleanse water of south one big place

曰韓                        called Korea

其曰三韓者           It called three Korea the_one_who

箕準避衛滿           Uego evade Wiman

居金馬郡                live gold horse county

是為馬韓                is become horse Korea

韓之東界人            Korea [pp] east world man

立國於辰方之地   establish country from earth_stem direction [pp] earth

是為辰韓                is become Chen Korea

南界人                    south world man   

立國於                    establish country from

弁山之下                Coming_of_age_cap mountain [pp] under

是為弁韓                is become cap Korea

South of River Yeol is a piece of large land called Korea. The people there called themselves [Men of the] Three Koreas. Uego in order to escape from Wiman, went to live in the county of Geumma and was thus known as the Ma Korea. East of Korea, the people established a country in the direction of the Chen and is known as the Jin Korea.  In the South, the people established their country  at the foot of Mt. Byeon and thus known as Byeon Korea.

Notes:

1. See Lesson on 108 for Uego and Wiman

2. The Three Koreas is known as the Samhan, comprising of Mahan, Jinhan and Byeonhan.

Lesson 121

上古茹毛飲血之世 before ancient eat fur drink blood [pp] world

惟藉獸皮以蔽其身 only borrow/take animal skin to hide its body

後世聖人乃為之     after world saint man therefore for it

製衣服                      make clothes clothes

In prehistoric times, it was a world of savagery. Animal skins were used to cover [man's naked] body.  In later times, wise men therefore [taught] them how to make clothes.

Notes:

1.  茹 means to eat raw.  The literal translation of the idiom 茹毛飲血 should be translated as "eat things covered in fur and drink its blood" and not "eat fur drink blood".   The figurative means "being like a savage".

2.  Here 藉 is a variant form of 借 and not the藉 to mean "excuse" as in藉口

3.  Here 聖人 should not be translated as saints or even "saintly".

Lesson 122

天下林林総総之眾  heaven under forest forest together together [pp] populace

所操之業以四民      for grasp [pp] occupation is four classes

為正四民者               for main class those_who

何士農工商也         mainly scholar farmer artisan merchant [ep]

Under Heaven, of the colorful multitudes, there are four kinds of professions which are divided into the four classes.  These are the scholars, farmers, artisans and merchants.

Notes:

1.  林林 like the many trees in a forest.  Together with the next two characters, they form a melodious sound to mean the varied and plentiful.  This idiom means "all kinds of different people".  The original character used here is composed of the left hand side radical of糸 and on the right is the character of怱.  

Another variant of 總 is 総.

2.  The Four Classes.  Compare this to the Four Noble Professions: 漁樵耕讀, the fisherman, woodcutter, the farmer and the scholar.

Lesson 123

家養貓犬   home rear cat dog

犬為貓曰 dog for cat said

我防賊      I prevent theft

爾防鼠      you prevent mice

各司其職  each take_charge its job

一日賊       one day thief

竊物去       steal things go

貓為犬曰  cat for dog said

爾大於我  you big than me

而曠職       and neglect job

得無愧乎  have no shame?

There was a family who kept a cat and a dog.  The dog said to the cat,

"I prevent theft, you prevent mice.  Each of us take charge of our jobs."

One day, a thief came and stole some things and escaped.  The cat said to the dog,

"You are bigger than me.  You have neglected your job.  Have you no shame?"

Lesson 124

一日大雨                  one day big rain

兒問雨自何來         child ask rain self where come

父曰爾不見雲乎     father said you not see cloud?

有雲而後有雨         have cloud and later have rain

則雲乃未化之雨    then cloud thus not_yet transform [pp] rain

雨乃已化之雲         rain thus already transform [pp] cloud

One day, there was a storm.  A child asked,

"Where does rain come from?"

The father replied, "Didn't you see the clouds? When there are clouds, the will be rain afterwards.  Thus clouds are rain not yet transformed and rain is thus already transformed clouds."

Lesson 125

猴煨芋於爐 monkey roast_in_ashes in furnace/oven

謂貓曰          said cat say

熟則贈汝      cooked then present you

汝試取芋      you can try take taro

貓大喜          cat big happy

取芋出          take taro out

掌幾爛          palm almost broken/rot

擲於地          toss onto ground/earth

猴俟其冷      monkey wait it cold

而食之           and eat it

愚者之役      stupid the_one_who [pp] corvée

於智者如是  to wisdom the_one_who like is

A monkey was roasting taro in an oven made from ashes. It said to the cat,

"When it is cooked, it shall be presented to you."

The cat was overjoyed.  [When cooked] the cat tried to take the taro out. Its paw was almost scalded and tossed the it onto the ground.  The monkey waited until it became cooled and ate it.

Those who are stupid are thus corvées to those with knowledge.

Note:

A Chinese reader pointed out this is a classical story which which the idiom, 火中取栗  (Taking chestnuts from the fire) was derived.

Lesson 126

扶餘王子高朱蒙 to_support_with_the_hand extra king son high red misty [See Lesson 1 Note 5]

起西北部              rise west north region

攻取漢郡              attack take Han province

建國曰高句麗     establish country called high sentence beauty

朴赫居世              plain/simple  conspicuous  live world

起辰韓                   rise Chen Korea

統一諸部               unite one various regions

建國曰新羅           establish country called new silk

扶餘温祚入馬韓  support extra warm blessing enter horse Korea

滅箕氏而                destroy winnow clan and

建國曰百濟           establish country name hundred crossing_river

是為三國               is became three country

Buyeo prince, Go Jumong rose from the northwestern region and conquered the Four Commanderies of the Han Dynasty and established the kingdom called Goguryeo. Bak Hyeokgeose rose against Jinhan and established the kingdom of Silla. Buyeo Onjo entered Mahan and destroyed the Ji clan and established Baekje.  They became to be known as the "Three Kingdoms".

Note:

See Lesson #120 for some of the Korean historical places.  It is very difficult to translate transliterations to Korean sounds since I do not know Korean nor well in Korean history.  Most of what I know are from watching Korean historical drama.  The information gathered is from the internet using both English and Chinese sources to get the correct Korean Romanization.  For the  interested reader, you can refer them in Wikipedia.

Lesson 127

雄鷄司晨        male chicken manage morning

牝鷄育卵飫   female chicken nurture egg satiated

以所棄粒食   thus because abandon grain eat

或啄蟲            or peck worms

歲暮殺            year evening kill

以享神噫        so enjoy gods alas

能生我者        able give_birth me the_one_who

即能殺我        this able kill me

賴人活者        dependent people live the_one_who

其鍳之             its reflect/mirror it

The rooster manages the morning.  The hen broods the eggs.  Satiated from food, it abandons all grains or pecks at worms.  At the end of the year, they are killed as offering to gods.  Thus those can bear me, can also kill me.  Those who rely on others for livelihood should take note.

Notes:

1.  This is one of the more difficult passages to translate because of its terseness.  My translation may be not correct.

2.  歲暮, literally means the evening of the year.  Hence end of the year.

3. 噫 is a final interjection to mean "alas", "woe is me", "sigh" to denote sorrow.

4. There are several means of 飫.  It is an ancient term to denote some kind of a private banquet; cloyness; satiated from eating or from such an event;  It can also mean tired from listening too much of "gossip", "to present" or some kind of imperial ritual feast before the emperor and ministers discuss on important matters of state, etc or the music performed in such ritual.

5. 鍳 - ancient Chinese bronze mirrors and as a verb to reflect on oneself as if looking at the mirror.

Lesson 128

騾負鹽包      mule bear salt bag

渡河蹄略蹲 cross river hoof slightly crouched/squat

鹽化水           salt change water

量遂輕顧      weight follow light consider

騾述其故       mule relate it reason

騾負羊皮包   mule bear sheep skin bag

放之                let_go it

量加倍           weight increase a_fold

騾自嘆曰       mule self lamented said

不自量已       not self capacity because

襲他長徒       inherit others long bad_person

自苦耳           self sorrow that_is_all

A mule was bearing a load of salt.  While crossing, it slipped slightly and the salt dissolved and therefore the load became lighter.  The mule deduced that it must be because of the slip that caused this.  The next time when it carried a load of sheep's skin, it followed its previous logic.  The load increased a fold.  The mule lamented to itself,

"I had overrated myself.  I had to suffer and endure this hardship!"

Notes:

1.  I translated this by meaning rather than directly for it would be a very awkward translation.

2.  自量 together means "overrate one's ability and strength"

3.  長徒 together means "forced labour" an ancient punishment.  For example, conscripted labour at the Great Wall.

Lesson 129

某兒夜讀書        one child night read book

倦甚                     tired very

燒廢紙以照        burn useless paper to shine

物遺火於帳        thing remains fire to curtain   

幾被焚                some [passive particle] burn

母曰                     mother say

事無鉅細            things no hook small

皆當謹慎           all ought cautious/care cautious care

小不慎               small not caution

即有禍害矣.     then have catastrophe harm [past particle]

One child was studying at night and was very tired.  He burnt the wastepaper as light.  However, the curtains caught the fire from the remnants/ashes and almost caught fire.  The mother said,

"There are no things that are large or small.  One has to be careful and cautious. If caution is cast to the winds, then harm and catastrophe would result."

Notes:

1.  鉅 here is a variant form of 巨, huge, large, etc.  The other six meanings are

      a.   hard iron

      b.   hook

      c.  variant of 距

      d. variant of 詎

      e. last name

      f.  hanging bells or the structure to hold the 馨, Chinese chimes used for court music.

2.  The modern equivalent of矣 is了

Lesson 130

兒童三人       child boy three person

約相戲搏        meet_up mutual jest combat

其一素無力    this one usually no strength

隨二人後        follow two person back

俟二人力衰    wait two person strength weak

乘機搏之         take_advantage opportunity combat them

二人俱敗         two person entirely defeated

觀者曰             observe the_one_who say

凡事皆有機     ordinarily events also every have opportunity

苟不失其事機if_supposing not lose its matter opportunity

則弱者               then weak the_one_who

亦能勝强           also able victory strong

There were three boys who had planned for a mock combat.  One of them is always weak.  He followed the other two and waited until their strength is weakened.  Taking this opportunity, he attacked them.  Both of the other boys were defeated.  An observer said,

"For all matters, there is always an opportunity.  If the opportunity is seized upon, then even the weak will be victorious over the strong."

Lesson 131

牛馬挽車而行  ox horse draw carriage and move

朝夕不休           morning evening not rest

少遲痛鞭之      little late/slow pain whip it

服勞役               serve labour corvée

而又受苦          and also bear hardship

楚無自主權者 pain/suffering no self control power the_one_who

大都類是          mainly also class/type/kind yes/is

Horses and oxen are used to draw carts; day and night without rest. If a bit slow, they will be painfully whipped.  Those serving as corvées will suffer hardship. Sufferance are those without autonomy; which most people belong to this group.

Lesson 132

兄弟二人  older_brother younger_brother two people

自學堂歸  from study hall return

兄於途中  older_brother from journey inside

買一梨       buy one pear

弟索食       younger_brother demand/ask/to_exact eat

不與           not with

弟告其父  younger_brother tell his father

父曰           father said

兄長弟幼  older_brother older younger_brother younger

兄當愛弟   older_brother ought love younger_brother

遂取梨       then took pear

各半分之  each half share it

Brothers two, returning from the study hall.  On the way back, the older brother bought a pear.  The younger one asked for it to eat [but] was refused.  The younger boy complained to their father.  The father said,

"The older ought to love the younger."

Then [he took] the pear and divided half for each one.

Notes:

1.   In the old days, a study hall is a private school where students studied together.  For the rich, a private tutor would be hired to teach the sons in their own home.  However, from the context, we know that this is not the case.

2.  Someone from italki mentioned that this is a classic story of孔融讓梨

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kong_Rong

Lesson 133

羅麗濟三國時   silk beauty alms three country time

有金首路起南部 have gold head road start south area

併弁韓地              annex dispose_of Han land

而建國曰駕洛     and establish country called to_drive name_of_river

後為新羅所併     later from new silk that annex

During the time of the Three Kingdoms, Silla, Goguryeo and Baekje… There was Kim Suro who rose from the south and annexed the Korean land.  The established country was called Garak which was later being absorbed by Silla.

Notes:

1.  羅麗濟.  Short for Silla, Goguryeo  and Baekje.  Thanks to Kuiwon for pointing this out!  http://kuiwon.wordpress.com/

2.  金首路.  Transliteration for Kim Suro, founder of the Garak (Gaya) kingdom.

3.  Shilla, another ancient Korean kingdom that first unified the Korean peninsula with the help of the Tang Dynasty.

Lesson 134

三國各保一隅  three countries each protect one corner

互相侵伐           mutual mutual incur attack

其後新羅           this after new silk

會唐兵滅        meet Tang soldiers annihilate

百濟高句麗    hundred alms high word beauty

統其一地         unify this one ground

Each of the Three Kingdoms controlled a corner [of the Korean Peninsula].  They fought with each other.  Later, Silla with the help of the Tang, annihilated Baekje and Goguryea.

Lesson 135

東家兒與西家兒為友  east family child and west family child become friend

西家兒至東家               west family friend come east family

東家兒迎入座               east family child welcome enter seat

將所玩之木椀竹豆      [direct particle] all play [pp] wood bowl bamboo bean

陳列作宴客禮              lay_out row to_make banquet guest rite/ceremony/etiquette/courtesy

此雖游戲                       this though leisure play

知交際之道矣              know exchange border [pp] path ah

A child of the east side and a child of the west side became friends.  The west side child went to visit the east side family.  The east side child welcomed him to the seat; bringing out all the toy wooden bowls and bamboo beans and arranging them in rows to show the courtesy and etiquette of the host to a guest.  Although this is only a make-believe game, knowing the path to social graces [is a must].

Notes:

1.   To translate literally, "an east family child" or even "a child from the east family" would puzzled the English reader on the first glance.

2.  "To enter seat" means "to be seated".  In Chinese culture, when a guest arrived, he is given a seat.  How he is to be seated indicates his social importance to the host.  The honoured ones are given to the east side of the hall.  Unless the guest is of such superiority, he is never seated higher than the host or to take the "superior seat".  In all cases, tea is the next thing served.

3.  Originally, before porcelain was discovered, serving bowls are made from wood.  The rich may use gold or silver ones.  When ceramics come into vogue, the wood radical is changed into the stone radical.  However, Japanese still use the wood radical character, reflecting the times when Chinese culture was imported.

4.  In classical Chinese游 and 遊 are the same.  In later times, the different radicals were used to disambiguate the different meanings. However, with simplification of Chinese characters, they become synonymous again.  Therefore in this passage, 游 is not the simplified character.

 Lesson 136

鼠晝行院中         rat day walk courtyard inside

適有人過             suitable have person pass

夫鼠晝伏夜行   [introductory particle] rat day crouch/hide night move

乃其宜也            hence it appropriate [ep]

出入無時            exit entry no hour

遂殺其身           then kill its body

可不戒哉           can not cautious !

If a rat crosses the courtyard in the day and man happens to pass by…  This is why it hides during the day and becomes active at night.  Hence it is an appropriate thing for it to do. Coming and going at anytime, will bring death unto itself.  It cannot afford not to be not cautious!

Note:

無時 literally no time, means anytime!

Lesson 137

周生釣魚河側  Chou Mr fish (verb) fish (noun) river side

久之獲一魚       long it reap one fish

視其腹                look its belly

孕子其衆           pregnant son its many

仍棄之               still abandon it

或問其故          someone ask its reason

周生曰                    Chou Mr say

吾不忍得一魚       I not bear obtain  one fish

而殺無數魚子也  and kill countless fish sons [ep]

Mr. Chou was fishing by the side of the river.  After a long while, he caught one.  Looking at its belly, it was pregnant and fully swollen.  Still, he threw it back.  Someone asked for the reason.  Mr. Chou replied,

"I cannot bear that in order to get one fish, countless future fish will be killed!"

Notes:

1. See commentary in Lesson 51 for  或

2. The literal translation for the quote is awkward in English, "I cannot bear that to obtain one fish, countless fish babies are killed."

Lesson 138

以木架一橋形 with wood frame one bridge shape

狹甚                    narrow very

數兒賽步於上   some kids compete walk from up

一兒不敢行       one child not dare walk

數兒曰                some kids said

此雖遊戲            this although leisure play

所以練膽也       for with practice gall!

人而無膽            man and no gall

豈能大事哉        how able great achieve !

With some wood, a bridge like contraption was made.  It was very narrow.  Some children compete by walking on it.  One child dared not.  So they taunted him,

"This is only a game to practise your bravery.  Man without bravery, how greatness be achieved!"

Notes:

The Chinese believe that the seat of bravery is the gall.  Very similar to the English expression, "have the gall/nerve" to express confidence in a negative way.

Lesson 139

新羅之末            new silk [pp] end

弓裔叛於北京   bow descendant rebel from north capital

國號泰封            country name peace bestow

甄萱叛據完山   distinguish/evaluate day_lily rebel seize finish mountain

自稱後白濟        self proclaim latter white alms

新羅見侵削        new silk see incur pared

遂至於亡            thereupon approach at death

In the waning days of Silla, Gungye rebelled against the northern capital and called the new state Taebong. Gyeon Hwon rebelled; seized the city of Wansan and self proclaimed to be the Later Baekje.  Silla saw its territories incurred and pared away and ultimately led to its demise.

Notes:

1.  In this context, it means the northern capital and not Beijing which also means the northern capital.

2. 萱堂 "Lily of the Hall" is an honorific and very formal term for mother. 樁萱隸萼 is a colorful and formal term for parents and siblings.  樁 is a legendary ancient tree.  萱 grows in the warmer west side, usually the women's quarters in a traditional housing layout.  隸  means "attached" and 萼 is the calyx.

Lesson 140

桃花大開     peach blossom big open

兄與弟         older_brother and younger_brother

游於花下    wander_in_leisure from flower under

一蝶來        one butterfly come

弟撲之              younger_brother leap it

兄曰                  older_brother say

子愛花              you love flower

蝶亦愛花          butterfly also love flower

以己之愛情      with self [pp] love affair

破壞蝶之愛情 split bad butterfly [pp] love affair

不恕甚矣          not excusable very this_is_it/end_of_story

The peach flowers were blossoming profusely.  An older brother and his younger brother strolled under them.  One butterfly came and the younger brother leapt at it.  The older brother said,

"You love the blooms and the butterfly also love them.  With your love for them you destroy the love of the butterfly.  This is highly inexcusable!"

Lesson 141

群蜂結巢               group bees made nest

卽成會議曰          when done together discuss say

如有伐我巢而殘 if have attack our nest and ruin/destroy/injure

我同種者              I same kind the_one_who

共刺之                  together pierce it

人之有國             man [pp] have country

猶蜂有巢             like bee have nest

爾學生                 you learn student

當知愛國            ought know love country

當知愛同種       ought know love same kind

A group of bees built a nest.  When completed, they discussed and said,

"If our nest is attacked, we of the same kind will together pierce it."

Man in having a country is like bees having a nest.  You students ought to know the love of your country; ought to know the love of your fellowmen.

Lesson 142

泰封諸將            peace bestow various generals

立王建為王       establish king builder become king

是為高麗太祖   is become high pretty grand ancestor

剋剗羣兇           subdue eradicate group vicious

統合三韓          fearsome unite combine three Korea

移都松嶽          move capital pine high_mountain/highest_peak_in_mountain_ridge

至於季世           approach from season world

恭讓不君           respectful allow not king

遂至於亡          thereupon approach to death

A group of Taebong generals elected Wanggeom as king and he became the founder of Goryeo. He purged his vicious enemies and united the three Koreas.  As for the last epoch of his dynasty, Gongyang was deposed and soon followed to his death.

Notes:

This is one of the most difficult passages to translate.  In part, there is no punctuation to help and my lack of Korean history and place names added the difficulty in understanding the meaning.  I could only get only a fuzzy idea based on the context.  Much research was put into it before the passage becomes clear.

At the same time, this lesson illustrates that characters on their own differ in meaning when put together in certain combinations.  A direct word by word translation does not make much sense even with educated guesses.

1.  泰封, "Bestower of Peace" is Later Goguryeo, a state in the later period of Korea's Three Kingdom.  See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taebong

2.  Actually there were only four generals who were the kingmaker.  See above link.

3.  太祖, the Grand Progenitor, is a posthumous title given to the founder of the dynasty.  祖 is usually reserved for the first two emperors of the dynasty because of their merit to the founding of the empire.  All descendants has to contend with the 宗 (ancestor) title.  However, an anomaly exists in the Ch'ing Dynasty.  The founder Nurchaci, was titled as the grand progenitor.  When he died, his brother, was given the posthumous one of 太宗, the Grand Ancestor.  However, the next emperor, his nephew Shun Chih 順治was titled 世祖.  The reason being that he was first Manchu ruler to sit on the Chinese throne in Peking.  It would be seen as improper for him to be given a less exalted title.  Thus the next emperor, Kang Hsi was given the title of 聖祖, Saintly Ancestor.  The rest had to contend with 宗.

4. 剗 is a variant of 鏟, a spade or "to purge".  羣 is a variant of 群.

5.  至於 together means "and thus", "as for" etc.  季 can mean the following,

     a.  season

     b.  the last month of the season

     c.  fourth or youngest amongst brothers.

     d.  classifier for seasonal crop yield.

As a unit, 季世 means the "last phase", "last epoch", "final years".

6.  恭讓 is a title of the last king of Goryeo bestowed by the founding ruler of the Chosun Dynasty.  It literally means "respectfully allowed" [to be demoted from king to subject].  See

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gongyang_of_Goryeo

Lesson 143

我太祖高皇帝          My grand progenitor high emperor emperor

應天命                       answer heaven life

順人心                       follow/obey people heart

國號朝鮮                  country named morning fresh

定鼎于漢陽             to_set tripod at Han sun/maleness

聖子神孫                 saint children divine grandson

繼繼繩繩                 continue continue rope rope

至於我太皇帝       as for my grand emperor emperor

光武元年                bright martial original/first year

改國號曰               change country name call

大韓                        great Korea

實萬世無疆之體  surely ten_thousand life no boundary [pp] body

My Grand Progenitor High Emperor has the Mandate of Heaven and the will of the people.   The country is called the Great Chosun and its capital at Hanyang.  Saintly children and divine descendants shall continuously be forever more. As for my grand emperor, in the first year of Gwangmu, the country was changed to the Great Empire of Korea, surely boundless and eternal.

Notes:

1.  Remember this book was published during Imperial Korea.

2. The tripod is a symbol of imperial authority.  It dates back to the Chou Dynasty who had nine giant ritual bronze tripods made as part of the State imperial regalia to represent the nine provinces of ancient China.  Their enormous size and weight symbolize stability.  Hence a common saying, "words are as heavy as the Nine-Tripod Cauldrons",言如九鼎 to mean unbreakable promise.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Tripod_Cauldrons

3.  The first year of Kwangmu is the year of 1897.  The reformation is similar to the Meiji Restoration in Japan where the country is modernize to Western standards.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwangmu_Reform

Lesson 144

物之落水也  things [pp] drop water [ep]

較水輕則浮  compare water light then float

較水重則沉  compare water heavy then sink

輕重與水同  light heavy and water same

浮沉之間       float sink [pp] time

凡物重量入水 as_for thing heavy amount enter water

則較在陸         then compare at land

稍减者               a_bit decrease the_one_who

由水有浮力也  because water have float strength [ep]

When things are dropped into the water, if lighter, then they float; if denser, then they sink.  Whether they float or sink [will be known] at that instant will know if they are dense or light.  As for anything that enters into the water, it will be lighter than on land because water has buoyancy.

Note:  It is better to translate 重 as dense because a battleship is heavy but still floats on water.

Lesson 145

劉五手執竹竿    Liu_a_last_name five hand hold bamboo rod

游於園中             roaming_leisurely in garden inside

見蚯蚓一頭         saw earthworm earthworm one head

而遂欲擊殺之    and then want attack kill it

其兄止曰             his older_brother stop said

是不可擊             is not can attack

能轉地                 able bore earth/ground

成穴通氣之出入  become cave through air [pp] out enter

使植物益茂          cause plant thing beneficial luxuriant

劉五横竹竿          Liu five horizontal bamboo rod

於袴下                  to trousers under

疾馳而出              quickly gallop and exit

Lyuo was holding a bamboo rod and was cruising leisurely in the garden.  He chanced upon an earthworm and wanted to kill it.  His older brother stopped him and said,

"Mustn't do so as it makes air passages in the ground because it is beneficial for the plants and cause them to grow luxuriantly.  Lyuo quickly swung the bamboo rod under his trousers and quickly left the place.

Notes:

1.  劉五 means the fifth child or son in the family.  In old China, especially the uneducated, the easiest way to name their children is by numerically.  Only when, if they ever have the chance to go to school (there were no public schools, only private ones), the teacher will bestow upon them a good name.  Lyuo is the Korean rendition to "Liu Wu" in Mandarin.  After all, this is a Korean book - one should respect and honour the naming convention.  Of course, if I don't; it shows my lack of knowledge in Korean.

2.  橫 means horizontal.  In Chinese, this can also denote the action of causing a thing to become horizontal.  For example, 橫雨, slanting rain; meaning that the wind is blowing causing towards a horizontal orientation.  橫笛, the Chinese horizontal flute to distinguish from the vertical flute, 簫.

3. 袴, variant of 褲.

Lesson 146

秋間蟋蟀甚多 autumn time cricket cricket much many

捕其雄者          catch its male the_one_who

置於陶器          place into earthen ware

彼此相鬪          that/those/one (another) another  mutual fight

勝則瞿然而鳴 win then startled state_of and chirp

似得意狀噫      like obtain desire demeanor alas!

優勝劣敗          excellent victory inferior defeat

蟋蟀不免          cricket cricket not exempt

况人也              moreover man [ep]

In autumn when there are plenty of crickets around, catch the males and put them in an earthenware.  There will be a mutual fight with one another.  Upon victory, it will chirp excitedly as if in smugness.  In great victory or utter defeat, crickets are not exempt [from such emotions]; moreover man!

Lesson 147

我國以東土為本   My country with east soil become original/main/source

部分為十三道    part divide become ten three provinces

本部之外又有三屬地 main part [ep] outside also have three subordinate place

耽羅國濟州島              indulge/delay gauze country alms province island

于山國鬱陵島              from mountain country melancholy mound island

渤海國北                       swelling sea country north

間島是也                       space island is [ep]

My country is centered in the eastern soil.  The area is divided into thirteen provinces.  There are three dependencies outside of this central area.  The country of Tamna is situated on the Jeju Island; The country of Usan is situated on the island of Ulleung.  North of Balhae is Gando.

Notes:

1.  Again another difficult piece to translate as I do not know Korean history or geography well enough.  Since Chinese place names have meaning in themselves and the lack of punctuation makes it even more ambiguous.  For example, on the first glance without knowledge of Korean culture, the last two lines can be parsed as渤海國北間, 島是也.  This gives rise to an entire different meaning, The area north of Bokai are islands!

2.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamna

3.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usan

4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulleungdo

5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balhae

6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiandao

From a Korean reader, (http://www.italki.com/entry/492730)

(1) You must read '渤海國北間島' as '耽羅國濟州島' or '于山國鬱陵島'.
北間島, 濟州島 and 鬱陵島 are the names of islands. Of course, 島 is 'island', but the name itself have the word 島.

(2) As "Jeju Island", we call 北間島 as "Bukgan Island". Therefore, the right translation is, "The country of Balhae is situated on the Bukgan Island."

(3) However, the history is different. Balhae was not situated "on an island" but "on the northern part of the Korean Peninsula", and 北間島 is not "an island" but "the northern part of the Korean Peninsula."

(4) Then, we have a question: "Why does the name of the area include 島?" One of the explanation is as follows. There is an island, 間島 between the two rivers which are the boundaries of "the Korean Peninsula" and "the main land of China." 北間島 is the northern part of 間島.

(4) The other name of 北間島 is Jiando.

Lesson 148

某兒游戲庭中  some/one child leisure play courtyard inside

擲芥於杯           toss mustard into cup

水旋轉如舟      water revolve whirl like boat

取桃葉代之      take peach leaf replace it

則膠滯不動      then sticky sluggish not move

其父曰                   his father say

事之成否               matters/things [pp] success not

必得適宜之分量  must have suitable appropriate [pp] component amount

強為之                   strong/force to it

無益也                   no benefit [ep]

One child was playing in the courtyard.  He toss some mustard [seeds] into a cup.  The water swirled like [those by] a boat.  Replacing by a peach leaf, it [the water] became sluggish and viscous.  His father said,

"Matters must be of appropriate size if is to succeed.  Using force to ensure success is not beneficial!"

Notes

1.  Without context, 水旋轉如舟 can be translated as water swirling like a boat.  Even so, it is quite puzzling; a swirling boat?

2.  膠 means sap, glue or stickiness.  In this context, "viscous" is the most appropriate as the water behaves like sticky glue, moving very slowly.

3.  分量 is the same as 份量 which is the preferred term in modern usage.

Lesson 149

甲童取一橙 "A" child took a bench

謂乙童曰       tell "B" child say

躍過此           jump over this

為有力者      because have strength the_one_who

甲先之          "A" first it

乙不能          "B" not able

乙歸習之      "B" return practise it

無間竟能       no time indeed able

躍二橙而過  jump two bench and over

而甲不能      and "A" not able

乙誠有競爭心矣 "B" honestly have competitive vie heart [final particle]

Child A took a bench and told child B,

"Jump over this to show you have capability."

Child A went first. Child B was unable and so he practised again [and again] when in no time able to jump over two benches and child A was unable.

Child B has the competitive spirit!

Notes: 

橙 in modern Chinese means orange.  However, from the context we know this isn't the case.  I don't know if it is equivalent to 櫈.  It could be also a misprint.  However, my research, the Korean pronunciation of this character is either "jeung" or "deung".  The second pronunciation is closer to "deng" in Mandarin and "dang3" in Cantonese.  In any case, I do not know how Koreans treat this character to ascertain the book has a misprint.

From a Korean reader (http://www.italki.com/entry/494095),

"橙 has two meanings: one is Chinese bitter orange(or Chinese bitter orange tree), and the other is chair. We can assume that the second meaning is from "chair made of the tree." And the Korean pronunciation of this character is 'deung'. It may helps."

Lesson 150

一兒抱小犬   one child carried small dog

戲剪其耳       playfully cut its ear

犬狂叫            dog madly howled

兄聞之            elder_brother heard it

持剪向兒曰    hold scissors towards child said,

犬無能為子侮  dog no ability for you humiliate/ridicule/insult

子無能               you no ability

卽侮於人           thus humiliate from man

請以子耳誡之  please with you ear admonish/warning it

兒大悔悟          child big regret comprehend

One child was carrying a dog.  Playfully he cut its ears.  The dog howled.  When the elder brother heard it, he held the scissors towards the child and said,

"The dog has no ability and so was ridiculed by you.  Since you have no ability, you shall be [likewise] be humiliated by others.  Please let your ears be the warning."

The child [then] regretted/repented through [this] enlightenment/understanding.